Hockey world mourns the loss of longtime 14-year NHL veteran at age 79
Gerry Meehan's death hit Buffalo hard Saturday, with Lindy Ruff behind the Sabres bench as the franchise mourns one of its own.
The Sabres confirmed Meehan has died at 79, closing the book on a life that touched the organization from the ice right through the front office.
He wasn't just a former player passing through town.
Meehan became part of Buffalo's history in more than one era, and that's what makes this one land differently.
Originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 4th round, 21st overall, in 1963, Meehan had to wait for his NHL chance.
He finally broke in with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1968-69.
That path says plenty about the player he was.
He stayed in the fight long enough to carve out a real career, then kept building his place in the sport after the skates came off.
Across 680 NHL games, Meehan scored 180 goals and added 243 assists. He played for the Flyers, Maple Leafs, Sabres, Canucks, Flames, and Capitals.
Buffalo remembers more than the player in Gary Meehan
In Buffalo, his impact didn't stop at the boards. In 1984, Meehan became the first former Sabres player to move into a front-office role with the club.
That turned into even more responsibility when he was elevated to general manager during the 1986-87 season. His fingerprints ended up on major chapters of Sabres history.
During that stretch, Buffalo brought in names that changed the franchise's direction, including Pat LaFontaine, Dale Hawerchuk, Dominik Hasek, and Alexander Mogilny.
Mogilny's Hall of Fame speech said plenty about the way Meehan was viewed behind the scenes.
He called Meehan one of his «guiding lights» when he entered the NHL, and that says more than any stat line could.
That kind of praise usually comes from trust built in quiet moments, not headlines.
It points to a hockey man who mattered in the room, in the office, and in the lives of players trying to find their footing.
Meehan is survived by his wife, Mirella, children Dan, Adam, and Kate, and grandchildren Christian, Alexander, Nathan, and Juniper. For Buffalo, this isn't only about losing a former NHLer. It's about losing a piece of the franchise's memory.
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YESTERDAY
JUNE 4, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Brett Howden | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Mitch Marner | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Mark Jankowski | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Seth Jarvis | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Staal | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Logan Stankoven | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Mark Stone | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | 1 | 1 | |
| William Carrier | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Noah Hanifin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Tomas Hertl | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Eric Robinson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Andrei Svechnikov | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | - | - | |
| Jackson Blake | - | - | - | |
| Jalen Chatfield | - | - | - | |
| Dylan Coghlan | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||